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The 

Fourth Massachusetts 
Cavalry 



IN THE 



Closing Scenes of the War 

for the Maintenance 

of the Union 



(4: 



nj4 



From Richmond 
to Appomattox 

\ I i \'>-r.'\ .Xf> ' '1 'T Tl 1 \ ^U- 









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J 









i 




Col. Arnold A. Rand 

4th Massachusetts Volunteer Cavalry 



t 



The Battle at High Bridge 

by 
Major Edward T. lUnive, I'. S. \'. 

The life of the American Cavah-\- is ahnost coeval with that of 
the American people. Laws were passed for the formation of a 
mounted furce in lti48. when the colony of Massachusetts Bay had 
not yet attained its majority. Twenty-seven years later, in 1675, 
when the war with ]vIetacomet ( King Philip) broke out there were 
five troops of cavalry, which in point of equipment. (li>ci]iline and 
appearance, had received the commendation of European officers 
who had' seen them. 

Captain Prentice's troop formed a part of Maj(tr-( General 
W'inslnw's army, which fought at Xarrangansett I-'ort. It jjartici- 
pated in the terrible march and the awful battle which ensued. Of 
that battle, the latest and most exhaustive of its historians says: 

"This must be classed as one of the most gloritnis victories 
ever achieved in our history, and considering con{liti(^ns. as dis- 
playing heroism both in stubborn ])atience and dashing intrepidity 
never excelled in American warfare." 

So much for the first great battle in which Massachusetts 
cavalry took an honorable part. I may be pardoned for referring 
to it in this paper, on account of the singular coincidence, that in 
one of the last, and unquestionably one of the most brilliant actions 
ever fought in America — the Battle at High Bridge — Massachu- 
setts horsemen accomplished a very difficult thing: they suc- 
ceeded in adding a yet deeper lustre to the laurels which have 
ever adorned the standards of the American Cavalry. 

The story of the fight near High Bridge. X'irginia. is but an 
account of an obscure skirmish, if the numbers engaged and its 
duration be solely considered; judged., however, by the fierce int'-n- 
sitv of the struggle, and the carnage, together with the results, 
which alone, yet amply, justified the apparent madness of the at- 
tack, it is seen to be one of the most notal)le of the achievements of 
these heroic days; for it led to the culmination of the campaign and 

5 



end (if llic war. at AppinnaUox. It was called by .Mr. lla\ and .Mr. 
Xicolav, in their history of .\l)raliain Lincoln, tlic most gallant and 
pathetic battle of the war. 

The Fourth Regiment of Alassachnsetts Cavalry had been sub- 
jected to a training and discii)line which caused it to develop rapidly 
into one of the finest cavalry regiments in the army. The officers 
were nearly all veteran soldiers, educated in the hard school of 
war. .\ large proportion of the men in the ranks had seen service, 
and the rank and tile, as a whole, pro\ed to be such as any officer 
might be proud to lead. 

The cjuality of the regiment is easily accounted f(^r, when it is 
considered that its first colonel left the lasting imj^ress of himself 
upon it : that colonel was Arnold A. Rand. 

I'Vom the very beginning of its service in the field, the regiment 
had the hard fortune to be cut up into detachments and details for 
special duty. This was probably due to the good opinion enter- 
tained of it by the general ; but it was very trying and disappoint- 
ing to the colonel, and to all who had hoped to be serving, as earlier 
orders — too soon coimtermanded — directed, with Sheridan. 

.At the opening of the last campaign, the first and third batta- 
lions were in \ irginia. Three scjuadrrns, with the held and stafif, 
were attached to the headciuarters of General Ord, commanding the 
.\rm}- of the James ; two were at the headquarters of the Twenty- 
fourth, and two at those of the Twenty-fifth Army corps. (Jne was 
at Fort .Magruder, where it had been for many months, doing nut- 
post and picket duty and engaged in scouting and raiding. The 
second battalion was in active service in South Carolina and I'dorida. 

iJefore the spring campaign opened, the command of the regi- 
ment had passed to Francis Washburn of LancastcM*. a member of 
a famil}- distinguished for its ])ul)lic services. This young gentle- 
man was a patrician in the best sense of the word. With tlie most 
brilliant prospects in life. he. like his brother, left all to serve the 
Republic, and both drew "the gret prize o' death in battle." 

In physical proportions, in personal beauty, in superb daring, 
in high-minded devotion to every duty, he was the ideal of a cav- 
alr\- leader, and a worthy successor to the lirst regimental com- 
mander. 

( )ne of the worst features of the internal economx' ot our 
armies during the civil war. was the detailing of officers and men 
individualK- from fi'diting regiments; the otficers to serve on stafl, 



ihe men ioy orderlies, wa^cmers. hospilal ser\ice aiul oilier sT)ecial 
(luties wliieli redueed the fii^lilinj^' streni^lli lo a miiiiiiimii compared 
willi what it should ha\'e heeii. I'rohahK' llu' >ame cu^lom would 
rule now. 

( )wini;- to this pernicious, altlmui^h al the time una\oidal)le sys- 
tem, as well as to the ordinary casualties of the service, the three 
squadrons of the I'ourth Cavalry under the immediate conunand 
of Colonel Washburn at the begiiining of active >ervice. liad been 
reduced to one hundred and hft\- men. 

( )r(lers were issued on the 27th of March to l)reak cam]), ])rc- 
])aratory to the resumption of movements atjainst the hues of com- 
munication between the besieged cities and their sources of supj)ly. 
Richmond and Petersburg were evacuated on the third of 
April, (General Lee moving swdftly toward Amelia. The I'ederal 
armies marched at once in hot pursuit, the .\rm\' of the James tak- 
ing the general direction of the Lynchburg railroad, reaching 
lUirkesville on the evening of A])ril .Ith. That same evening, Lee 
left Amelia Court house, pushing rajjidly in the direction of High 
Bridge, a long trestle over the Aj^pomattox near Farmville. Could 
he reach this bridge, cross and destroy it, he might hope to succeed 
in gaining the mountains beyond Lynchburg. 

The Army of the James instantly changed direction in pursuit. 
Lee's objective point became evident, and (General ( )rd determined 
to destroy the bridge, if it were possible to accomi)lisli this, l)efore 
Lee could reach it. To this end, he detached Colonel Washburn, 
with the three .squadrons of his own cavalry, now reduced by fur- 
ther details to thirteen officers and sixty-seven troojjers, together 
with two small regiments cf infantry, and directed him to push on 
ra])i(lly and burn the bridge. 

Information had been received through scouts that the struc- 
ture was not defended bv aii}' fortifications whatever. Re])iM-ts also 
came in that the Confederates were l)adly demoralized. In conse- 
quence of these stories, which would appear to have been acce])ted 
as fullv re1ial)le at liead(|uarters, Washburn was ordered to at- 
tack any force which he might meet, as it would certainl\- fall a\\a\ 
before him. 

It was a perilous order to give Washburn, for hi> \alor was 
ever the better part of his discretion. 

Some of our generals seem to have been strangely misled as to 
the spirit of the Confederates remaining in' arms. Never had they 



f(Hii;lU ini'i\' tiercel) lliaii in tlio-^f l;i>l days of the stnig-gle. Their 
skeleton battalions threw themselves upon otu' heavy lines at Sailor's 
Creek as desperately as they char.ixed under Pickett and Edward 
Johnson at (lett}sl)ui-^-. and their artillery was never more 
superbl}^ served than when they were attacked in flank by 
Greo:g:'s brijjade on the sexenth ol Ai)ril, when that g^eneral was 
made prisoner and his brigade driven in comi^lete discomfiture 
by the famous Washington Artillery of New Orleans. 

( )n the morning of tlie sixth, before dawn, Washburn's liltle 
detachment took up its route, the infantry, especially, being in poor 
condition for the severe and peculiarly dangerous service to which 
they were called, for they were exhausted by the forced marches 
which had been indispensable during the preceding three days. 
The distance was sixteen miles to Farmville. After having- been 
two hours or so upon the road, Washburn satisfied himself that 
the rebel army, moving diagonally toward the Appomattox, had 
closed in upt)n his rear, cutting him otT from the Army of the 
James. There were also unmistakable indications that Confeder- 
ate columns were moving in front of his command, as well as on 
its flank. The detachment was thus marching practically among 
divisions of the enemy, who were evidently ignorant of its 
proximity. 

Meanwhile, General ( )r(l had learned of the movements of the 
Confederates, and at once despatched Brevet Ikigadier General 
Theodore Read, atljutant general of the Army of the James, to over- 
take Washburn and cause him to fall back to the main army. Read, 
with one orderly, contrived to elude the various bodies of the enemy 
and finally joined Washburn, just before his command reached the 
vicinity of the bridge. 

L^])on rcconnoitering the countr\' about the bridge, it was tonnd 
that the information as to its not being fortified was entirely false. 
A strong redoul>t mounting four guns ])rotected it, and the ground 
around it was open, with morasses in front rendering it almost im- 
possible of access. Washburn considered, however, that a sudden 
attack on its rear side by cavalry, might be successful. 

In ])ursuance of this plan, he left Read with the infantr\- in a 
narrow belt of woodland near the lUirkesville road, and moved away 
to make a detour in order to come upon the rear of the fortification. 

The column Mion reache(l a small stream '^])anne(l by a bridge, 
the ]ilanks of which had been torn up. I.ii'Utenant Dax'is with the 




Col. Francis Washburn 



advanced guard, dashed across the stream and laid the planks umk'r 
sharp fire from a force of dismounted cavalry which occupied low- 
earthworks on the further side. Washburn soon came up with the 
main body, and throwing out a line of skirmishers, attacked so vig- 
orously that after a fight of half an hour's duration, the enemy re- 
treated toward Farmville. Mere they were reinforced, an, I Wash- 
burn soon found their numbers so great and their artillerv fire so 
heavy, that they could not be driven. Moreover there was incessant 
musketry firing from the place where he had left the infantry, indi- 
cating an attack upon them, and he thought best to withdraw and go 
to their support. 

A sharp ride of a few moments brought the cavalry to the 
scene of action. Had the Btirkesville road been followed for a short 
distance farther the colunui would have rounded a bend in the road, 
and come upon a strong body of Confederate cavalry which was 
moving in the direction of the firing; but at a point in rear of where 
the fighting was going on. Washburn left the road and led his men 
through the woods and along the bed of a ravine, then tip a hill, 
where he halted to learn the state of afifairs. 

The little line of infantry, outflanked and outmimbered, was 
falling back fighting, pushed by a brigade of disiuounted cavalry, 
while regiments of horse were galloping up on the flanks and form- 
ing for a charge. The infantry were clearly exhausted and their 
ammunition was used up. but W'ashburn. after a short consultation 
with Read, sent his adjutant to rally tbem. and determined by a 
furious attack upon the dismounted troops of the enemy, to throw 
them back on their cavalry and thus, supported by the infantry, to 
wrest victory from the enemy. He then led the column along the 
crest of the slope, and forming line, turned to his men and explained 
his purpose, well knowing what he could expect from the splendid 
fellows. 

Then Washburn ordered "Forward !" The line trotted down 
the slope. In a moment came his clear call "Gallop, march ! Charge !" 
And to the music from the brazen throats of their own trumpets 
chiming with their fierce battle shout, those seventy-eight Massa- 
chusetts horsemen hurled theniselves uj:)on the heavy masses of the 
foe. 

For a few moments the air was bright with the flashing of 
sabres, and shattered by the explosion of carbine and pistol, while 
screams of rage mingled with the cries of the wounded and all the 

11 



hideous sounds of a savage hand-to-hand fight. As all this died 
away, it was seen that the immediate body of troops which the 
Innu'th Cavalry had struck was practically annihilated. Their dead 
and wounded were scattered thickly over the field, wdiile the crowd 
of prisoners taken was embarrassing to the captors. Driving these 
before them back toward the hill, to which they must retire to re- 
form for attack upon the enemy's horse (for Washburn's mere 
handful of men forbade his leaving any to form the reserve without 
which cavalry almost never can charge without great risk) they 
were astounded at the sight which presented itself on the Burkes- 
ville road. As far as the eye could reach, it was filled with Confed- 
erate cavalry, and lines of battle were forming as rapidly as possi- 
ble and advancing swiftly to the aid of their defeated van. 

All hope of victory or of escape from such a field was now 
utterly gone, but the colonel and his men were mad with the fury of 
battle, and wild with exultation over the bloody triumph already 
achieved. But one thought possessed them. The little battalion 
swept down the slo])e once more, pressing close behind their 
knightly leader and their blue standard. They crashed through 
three lines of their advancing enemies, tearing their formation 
asunder as the tornado cuts its way through the forest. But now% 
order and coherence were lost, and the troopers mingled with the 
Confederates in a bitter hand-to-hand struggle. A few scattered 
fighters were rallied from out this fearful melee by the gallant Cap- 
tain Hodges, than wdiom a more chivalrous soldier never drew 
sabre. He led them in a last furious charge, in which he fell, as he 
would have wished, ■"amid the battle's w'ildest tide." 

By this time, all was lost. Eight of the officers lay dead or 
wounded upon the field. Three were prisoners, their horses having 
been kilk'd under tlu-m. The surgeon and chaplain, being non-com- 
batants, were captured while in attendance u])on the wounded. 

The battle at High Bridge was finished, for (icneral Read 
had been mortally wounded at the first fire after the infantry had 
rallied in supi)ort of the cavalry attack, and the two small regiments 
were overwhelmed and com])elle(l to surrender as soon as the cav- 
alry had ceased to be a factor. 

("olonel Washburn had been shot in the mouth and sabred as 
he fell from his horse. He was found on the field with the other 
dead and wounded the next day, when the advance of the Army of 
the James eanie u]). I le wa^ taken to the ho>])ilal at Point of Rock.s 

12 



l)ut insisted u])i>n hcins^- scni to his home in .M;iss;ichu--c'tls, where hiC 
(hed in the arms of his mother. I'.el'ore his death, lie \\a>, at ( iranfs 
rc(|ucst, brevettod as 15riga(Her General. 

(?i the other officers, Lieutenant Colonel Jenkins was se\eiely 
wounded, as were Captain Caldwell and Lieutenants jieleher and 
Thompson. Captains 1 lodges and (Joddard were killed, and Lieu- 
tenant Davis shot after having been made a ])risoner. for resenting 
an insult offered him by a rebel ofhcer. The adjutant. Lieutenant 
Lathrop, after his hor-e had been killed under him. was taken into 
the woods to be shot. ])eeause his eaptor as.serted that he had slain 
his brother in the fight. Fortunately a Confederate staff-officer 
observeil the proceechng. and rescued him from his woukLbe 
murderer. 

Idappily. the casualties aiuong the enlisted men were much less 
in proportictn than among the officers. They had to a man fougln 
with the most des])erate valor, keeping up the struggle after all the 
officers were down, until absolutely ingulfed in the masses of the 
enemy. 

In telling of the practical annihilation of a body of troops, the 
statement that their standard was saved from capture seems almo.st 
incredible ; yet such was the case in this instance. The color ser- 
geant, a gallant soldier from Hingham bv the name of Thomas 
Hickey. had carried the standard tli rough the iKHtest of the l)attle. 
At the last moment, seeing that it was im]>ossible to save it from 
capture except by destroying it. he managtxl to elude the enemies 
who were closing in upon him. and ])utting spurs to his horse, flew 
towardi a hut which he had (observed in the woods, and threw h.im- 
self from his charger just as he reacheil it, with his foes close upon 
him. Rushing it, he thrust his precious battle flag into a fire which 
was blazing on the hearth. The painted silk flashed u\) in flame, and 
by the time that his pursuers broke in. it was ashes ! 

His life was spared in consideration of his devoted bravery, 
and he subsequently received a commission from the Governor of 
the Commonwealth, in recognition oi his heroic det'd. 

The losses of the Confederates in this action were at least a 
half greater in number than Washburn's whole force. By their own 
report, there were a hundred killed and wounded, among them a 
general, one colonel, three majors and a lunuber of officers of lower 
grade. 

13 



Tin.' r.attlc al llii^li I'.ridyc was at rtrst thou^ln to have been a 
useless sacritice. It was a sacrifice indeed, but it unquestionably 
hastened the termination of the war, by days, and perhaps weeks. 

After the surrender, Lee's Inspector General said to Ord, 

"To the sharpness of that fight, the cutting off of Lee's army 
at Appomattox was ])robably owing. So fierce were the charges of 
Colonel Washburn and his men, and so determined their fighting, 
that General Lee received the impression that they must be sup- 
ix^rted by a large part of the army, and that his retrea*^ was cut ofif.'' 

Lee consec|uently halted and began to intrench ; and this delay 
gave time for Ord to come u]i. and enabled Sheridan to intercept the 
enemy at Sailor's Creek. 

The Confederate General Rosser said to a member of the regi- 
ment whom he met after the war : 

"You belonged to the Fourth Massachusetts Cavalry? Give 
me your hand ! I have been many a day in hot fights. I never saw 
anything approaching that at Migh Bridge. While your colonel 
kept his saddle, everything went down before him!" 

The Confederate troops at High Bridge were Rosser's and a 
])art of b^itz Hugh Lee's divisions. 

"Was \()ur colonel drunk or crazy this morning, that he at- 
tacked witli less than one hundred men the best fighting division of 
the Confederate cavalry?" asked a rebel officer of a wounded cap- 
tain of the Fourth ; "We have seen hard fighting, but we never 
heard of anything like this before!" 

The Confederate officers had at first utterly refused to credit 
the stories of their ])risoners, insisting that the small force would 
never have fought so fiercely unless it had been the advance of a 
strong column. 

Grant says in his memoirs. 

"The Confederates took this to be only the advance of a larger 
column which had headed them off. and so stopped to intrench ; so 
that this gallant band had checked the ])rogress of a strong detach- 
ment of the Confederate army. This stoppage of Lee's column no 
doubt saved to us the trains following." 



14 




Major Atherton H. Stevens 

4th Mass. Volunteer Cavalry 



The First United States Flag Raised 
In Richmond After the War. 

By Mrs. Lasalle Corbell Pickett, 

Wife of Major-General George L. Pickett, C. -S. A. 

Thp: first knell of the evacuation of liichmond sounded on 
Sunday morning while we were on our knees in St. Paul's 
Church, invoking God's protecting care for our absent loved 
ones, and blessings on our cause. 

The intense excitement, the tolling of the bells, the hasty 
parting, the knowledge that all communication would be cut 
off between us and our loved ones, and the dread, undefined 
fear in our helplessness and desertion, make a nightmare mem- 
ory. 

General Ewell had orders for the destruction of the public 
buildings, which orders our Secretary of War, Gen. .J. C. Breck- 
enridge, strove earnestly but without avail to have counter- 
manded. The order, alas! was obeyed beyond the "letter of 
the law." 

The terrible conflagration was kindled by the Confederate 
authorities, who applied the torch to the Shockoe warehouse, 
it, too, being classed among the public buildings because of the 
tobacco belonging to France and England stored in it. A fresh 
breeze was blowing from the south ; the fire swept on in its 
haste and fury over a great area in an almost incredibly short 
time, and by noon the flames had transformed into a desert 
waste all the city bounded by Seventh and Fifteenth Streets, 
and Main Street and the river. One thousand houses were 
destroyed. The streets were filled with furniture and every 
description of wares, dashed down to be trampled in the mud or 
buried where they lay. 

• 19 



At iiiglit a satuniHlia began. About dark, tbe Government 
eoniniissary began the destruction of its stores. Soldiers and 
citizens gathered in front, catching the liciuor in basins and 
pitchers; some with their hats and some with tlieir boots. It 
took but a short time for this to make a manifestation as dread 
as the flames. Tlie ert)\vd became a liowling mob, so frenzied 
that the officers of the law had to ilee for their lives, reviving 
memories of 17S1, when tlie Brittisli under Arnold rode down 
Kiehmond llilh and, invading tlie city, broke open tlie stores 
and emptied the provisions and liijuors into the gutters, making 
even the uninitiated cows and hogs drunk for days. 

All through the night, crowds of men, women, and children 
traversed the streets, loading themselves with supplies and 
plunder. At midnight, soldiers drunk with vile liquor, followed 
by a reckless crowd as drunk as themselves, dashed in the 
plate-glass windows of the stores, and made a wreck of every- 
thing. 

About nine o'clock on Monday morning, terrific shell explo- 
sions, rapid and continuous, added to the terror of the scene, 
and gave the impression that the city was being shelled by the 
retreating Confederate army from the south side. But the 
explosions were soon found to {)roceed from the Government 
arsenal and laboratory, then in flames. Later in the morning, 
a merciful Providence caused a lull in tlie breeze. The terrific 
explosion of the laboratory and of the arsenal caused every 
window in our home to break. The old plate-glass mirrors, built 
in the walls, were cracked and shattered. 

Fort Darling was blown up, and later on the rams. It was 
eight o'clock when the Federal troo})s entered the city. It 
required the greatest effort to tame down the riotous, crazed 
mob, and induce them to take part in the struggle to save their 
own. Tlie firemen, afraid of the soldiers who had obeyed the 
orders to light the torch, would not listen to any appeals or 
entreaties, and so the llames were under full headway, fanned 
by a southern breeze, when the Tnion soldiers came to the 
rescue. 

The llonring nulls caught fire from the tobacco houses, com- 
iiiunicatiiig it to Cnvy ami Nhiin streets. Fvery bank was 

2(1 



destroyed. The War Departinont was a mass ol' ruins; the 
Enquirer and Dispatch offices were in aslies ; and tlie county 
court-house, the American Hotel, and most of the finest stores 
of the city were ruined. 

Libhy Prison and the I^-esbyterian church escaped. Sucli a 
reign of terror and pillage, fire and flame, fear and despair! 
The yelling and howling and swearing and weeping and wailing 
beggar description. Families houseless and liomeless under the 
open sky! 

I shall never forget General Weitzel's command, composed 
exclusively of colored troops, as I saw them through the dense 
black columns of smoke. General Weitzel had for some time 
been stationed on the north side of the James River, but a few 
miles from Richmond, and he had only to march in and take 
possession. He despatched Major A. H. Stevens of the Fourth 
Massachusetts cavalry, and Major E. E. Graves of his staff, 
with about a hundred mounted men, to reconnoitre the roads 
and works leading to Richmond. They had gone but a little 
distance into the Confederate lines, when they saw a shabby, 
old-fashioned carriage, drawn by a pair of lean, lank horses, the 
occupants waving a white flag. They met this flag-of-truce 
party at the line of fortifications, just beyond the junction of 
the Osborne turnpike and New Market road. The carriage 
contained the mayor of Richmond — Colonel Mayo — Judge Mere- 
dith of the Supreme Court, and Judge Lyons. The fourth 
worthy I cannot recall. Judge Lyons, our former minister to 
England, and one of the representative men of Virginia, made 
the introductions in his own characteristic way, and then Colonel 
Mayo, who was in command of the flag-of-truce party, handed 
to Major Stevens a small slip of wall paper, on which was writ- 
ten the following : "It is proper to formally surrender to the 
Federal authorities the city of Richmond, hitherto capital of 
the Confederate States of America, and the defenses protecting 
it up to this time." That was all. The document was approved 
of, and Major Stevens most courteously accepted the terms for 
his commanding general, to whom it was at once transmitted, 
and moved his column upon the evacuated city, taking posses- 
sion and saving it from ashes. 

21 



His first order was to sound tlic alarm bells and to take 
e<jmmand at onee of the tire department, which consisted of 
fourteen substitute men, those who were exempt from service 
because of disease, two steam lire engines, four worthless liand 
engines, and a large amount of hose, destroyed by the retreating 
half-crazed Confederates. His next order was to raise the stars 
and stripes over the Capitol. Quick as thought, two soldiers, 
one from Company E and one from Company H of the Fourth 
Massachusetts cavalry, crept to the summit and planted the flag 
of the nation. Two bright, tasteful guidons were hoisted by 
the halyards in place of the red cross. The living colors of the 
Union were greeted, while our "Warriors' banner took its flight 
to meet the warrior's soul." 

That flag, wdiose design has been accredited alike to both 
George Washington and John Adams, was raised over Virginia 
by Massachusetts, in place of the one whose kinship and likeness 
had not, even after renewed eff'ort, been entirely destroyed. 
P"'or by the ado|)tion of the stars and bars (three horizontal 
bars of equal width — the middle one white, the others red — with 
a blue union of nine stars in a circle) by the Confederate Con- 
gress in March, 1861, the Confederate flag was made so akin 
and so similar to that of the nation, as to cause confusion ; so 
in 1863 the stars and bars was supplanted by a flag with a 
white field, having the battle flag (a red field charged with a blue 
saltier, on which were thirteen stars) for a union. This, having 
been mistaken for a flag of truce, was altered by covering the 
outer half of the field beyond the union with a vertical red bar. 
This was tlie last flag of the Confederacy. 

Richmond will testify that the soldiers of Massachusetts 
were worthy of the honor of raising the first United States flag 
over her Capitol — the Capitol of the Confederacy — and also to 
the unvarying courtesy of Major Stevens, and the fidelity with 
which lie kept his tru.st. 



22 




Capt. A. F. Ray 



The Fourth Massachusetts Cavalry 

In the Closing Scenes of the War for tlie 

Maintenance of the Union, 

From Richmond to Appomattox, 

bv 

WM. B. ARNOLD, 

Formerly Company H 4th Massachusetts Cavalry. 

During the winter and spring of 1864 and ISBf) sciuadrons E 
and H of the 4th Massachusetts cavalry were encamped near the 
headquarters of General Weitzel commanding- the Twentv-fifth 
Army Corps, then a part of the Army of the James. Out com- 
mand was detached from our regiment and doing duty as 
orderlies and couriers at Division and Brigade headquarters and 
Artillery Brigade headquarters, as well as performing Provost 
duty at corps headquarters. 

Our command numbered about eighty men in charge of Cap- 
tain A. F. Ray of Company H, 4th Massachusetts cavalry. He 
was an officer of unusual abilit}'. The Army of the James held 
possession north of the James, their lines extending from Deep 
Bottom, a few miles below Dutch Gap to Fort Harrison and 
around to the New Market road. 

Our position was made very strong and withstood the attack 
of the Confederates several times after it was taken from them in 
Sept. 1864. Their defenses in our front were equally strong. In 
addition they had several iron clads in the James River to assist in 
the defense of Richmond. Our gunboats were down the river, 
none of them, up to this time, having ventured above the Dutcli ( lap 
canal. 

The afternoon and evening of April second, 1865 indicated that 
something unusual was likely to occur. The Artillery firing in the 
direction of Petersburg in the evening, and during the night of the 
second was heavy and continuous, and in the night the sky w'as 
lighted up toward Richmond which proved to be the Ram X'irginia 
on fire. When the fire reached the magazine there wa< a tremen- 
dous explosion. Soon after this it was reported tliat the Confed- 

27 



crates wore evacuating the works in our front. An order came 
from (lencral W'eitzel for a detail of fifty cavalry which w'as im- 
mediately mounted, and reported at corps headciuarters. 

We were commanded by Captain A. F. Ray of H squadron, 
acciMUpanied hv officers from 'rwenl\ -fifth army corps head- 
quarters, and the entire command in char.<ie of Major Atherton 
H. Stevens of the 4th ^lassachusetts cavalry and Provost Alar- 
shall of the 2r)th Armv Cori)s. 

We proceeded at once through our fortified line and ap- 
proaching the Confederate line found that the troops were gone. 
Working our wav several miles toward Richmond, we could see 
through the fog a body of Confederate infantry. Major Stevens 
immediately ordered a charge, and Captain Ray quickly re- 
sponded with his men. At our near approach they surrendered. 
We continued "on to Richmond," and were soon inside the inner 
works that were impregnable when manned by a sufficient num- 
ber for defence. With deep ditches and fallen trees to entangle 
attacking parties, the Artillery and Infantry commanded the ap- 
proach in every direction without exposing themselves. 

The elaborate preparations for defense kept our armies at bay 
for months around Petersburg, and Richmond was prepared for 
standing ofif superior numbers by the best earthworks that our West 
Point engineers who were in the Confederate army could devise. 
As we entered these w^orks w-e saw a man ai^proaching with a 
flag of truce. 

In the distance were mounted men and carriages. We halted 
and Major Stevens and his officers went forward and conferred 
with the party, who proved to be the Mayor of Richmond accom- 
panied by Judge Medereth and other prominent people of Rich- 
mond. The city was formally surrendered to Major Stevens and 
we then went forward at a rapid pace, and coming round a turn in 
the roadwav at the Rockets, came in full view of Richmond. 

We halted for a moment to contemplate the scene. A portion 
tjf the city toward the James river was on fire. The black smoke 
was rolling up in great volumes. Major Stevens said "everyone of 
us should feel as proud as if we were promoted to be P.rigadier Gen- 
erals." We gave three cheers and went on. and were soon in the 
streets of Richmond passing Libby Prison ; and we clattered up the 
paved street on the gallop to the Ca])itol, and were soon in the 
space in front of the Capitol building. 

28 



Major Stevens, with sftmc of the officers, rtished into the huild- 
ing. and soon the guidons of Company I-', and 11 were llutlering 
from the top of the huilding. W'e were formed around the eques- 
trian statue of Washington, and we gave three times three, anrl a 
Tiger, that indicated to spectators that we were there. Richmond 
was ours, after four long years of tremendous struggle and sacri- 
fice. I, for one, thought of the si)lenflifl services of thousands of the 
best troops ever ralliedi to maintain a just cause. That our detail 
was privileged to land first in Richmond with the fiags of Massa- 
chusetts, was certainly appreciated' by us. 

But our work was not over. A large area of the city toward 
the river was on fire. To add to the fury of the flames the Ars- 
enals were blowing up and the shells were continually exploding. 
Corporal Macy and myself went with Captain Ray to ascertain if 
the bridges connecting Richmond with Manchester were destroyed 
by the evacuating Confederates. 

We went up Main street to Eighth street and then across to 
Cary street, and turned to the South, and went by burning bin'ldings 
until we obtained a view of the bridges. The two bridges were on 
fire, and burning rapidly from the Manchester side. Everything 
in front of us was on fire; buildings blowing up and flames roaring 
in every direction. 

We started back and observed on our left a fire in a building 
which was stored with ammunition. \Vq galloped past the 
building and turned the corner toward Main street nearby when 
the building exploded. As we emerged from the smoke and cin- 
ders. Captain Ray remarked that we had only five seconds to spare 
and a close shave, even where we were when the building went up. 
We returned to the Capitol and reported to Alajor Stevens. I was 
sent with a detail to the Davis Mansion with instructions to 
leave a guard on the house. I found everything unmolested. 

The desk used by the Confederate President was in disorder 
and everything indicated a hasty departure. I returned to my com- 
pany, and we were kq>t busy in restoring order. Soon our troops 
began to pour into the citv and order reigned. Energetic 
measures to stop the destruction of the city were promptly taken. 
The blue lines looked good to me, and the i^eople soon realized 
that instead of destroyers thev were sa\iors. for thev saved the 
citv not already burned bv the follv of the retreating Confeder- 
ates. 

29 



When we arriveil in iviohniond tliere was disorder, frenzy and 
chaos on every hand. Major Stevens restored order and confidence 
in a remarkably short time under conditions that were most trying. 
The trcx->ps as they arrived, were distributed where they could work- 
effectively. Streets and residences were immeckately guarded. The 
soldiers did not leave their commands to enrich themselves, and 
perfect order was restored before nightfall. Our little band of cav- 
alrv was exervwhere. and making good for lack of numl.ers by 
energetic performance until the arrival of the infantry. And after 
they came we were in the saddle till late at night. 

We encamped for the night in the yard of the I'emale Institute 
building, and we were a tired but happy band. The next day, April 
4th. was (|uiet. The infernal condition of fire, smoke and ex])losion 
and continuous bursting of shells was changed to a scene of waste 
and ruin wrought in the fire district, wdiich covered about one 
third of the citv. The da\- was made eventful bv the appearance of 
President Lincoln in the city. He came uji from Citv Point and 
walked up the street alone with his boy. General Devens immed- 
iatelv received him. ?\lr. Lincoln met with a splendid ovation from 
the troops and the colored people as he rode about the cit} . He 
rode in a carriage accompanied by General Devens and other of- 
ficers, escorted by a detail of cavalry from E and H sriuadrons of 
the 4th Massachusetts cavalry, commanded by Captain A. F. Ray. 

On the morning of April 5th, the detachment that composed 
the detail that first entered Richmond on the morning of April 3, 
1865. started to join its regiment, commanded l)v Colonel Wash- 
burn. They were with General Ord commanding the army cf the 
lames in ])ursuit of General Lee's retreating forces. We proceederl 
bv way of I\'tersburg through Dinwiddle County and .\melia 
Courthouse to Burkeville Junction, arriving there April Tth. There 
we found that Colonel Washburn's command was engaged at 
High P.ridge the dav before, meeting with heavv loss, but emerg- 
ing from the c(jntHct witii much honor and a splendid reu >r(l of 
achievement. 

The engagement is well described by our comrade. Captain 
Bouve of the 4th Massacliusetts cavalrv and will interest surviv- 
ing comrades of the regiment, .and all who lo\c the detenders of 
their country. Colonel Washbuin and main others ot our regi- 
ment were in the field hosi)ital at I'.urkeville junction and Cap- 
tain Rav and Lieutenant Miller visited them, and returning to 
our cam]), gave us a graphic description of the charges of our 

30 



comrades the (la\' hclorc. I'dloiu'l W a^lihiini >ui-\ i\x'(l lii.s injuries 
only a few days. lie luld (,'ai)lain l\a\ thai "il" 1 had llie wliole 
of the 4th 1-eL^inieiit with me I wduUl ha\e annihilated Fitz Hu.q'h 
Lee and Kosser. " I his was the mar\elous eoura^'e and spirit of 
the man, "a .gentleman and a soldier." 

We immediately started on to rejxirt to the headquarters of 
the army of the Potomac. All the way from Petersburg^ there was 
evidence of conflict. At Amelia Courthouse we found the rem- 
nants of Ewcll's corps of the Confedierate army. Artillery, wagons 
and ammunition piled up in disorder; from peo])Ie along the way 
reports of lighting. The Confederate troops hurriedly passed 
down the highway, to be immediately followed by the blue lines of 
federal troops. ( )n the morning of the ninth of A])ril we began to 
catch up with the army of the Potomac. 

ThrcHigh the lines of the sixth and ninth cori)s we rcjde, until 
early in the afternoon came the report that Lee had surrendered. 
You ought to have seen the faces of the soldiers of the army of the 
Potomac then. They looked like heroes to me. When we reached 
the Confederate lines we kept on through their camps and lanfled 
at General Meade's headquarters at Appomattox C. H., where we 
were immediately i)ut on duty to assist in the work of ])aroling and 
(hsbanding the Confederate army. 

A detail from my squadron went to Lynchburg one afternoon 
with General Gibbons returning in the night. When the arrange- 
ments of paroling the Confederate army were complete and Gen- 
eral Lee was at liberty to depart from his army, an order came 
from army headcjuarters for a detail of cavalry to escort General 
Lee from his lines. The escort was made up from the 4th Massa- 
chusetts cavalry and I was privileged to be one of them. Sixteen 
men composed the platoon and Lieutenant Lovell of our regiment 
was in command. I was right guide of the detail, and I t]ioug"ht 
at the time that we were i)rettv good representatives of the Union 
cavalry. 

We had H guidon with us which was one of the flags that was 
the first in Richmond. We went to General Lee's head<|uartcrs and 
Lieutenant Lovell reported to General Lee. 

He was courteouslv received and asked to wait until ( leneral 
Lee and his staff had breakfast and completed arrangements for 
their departure. W^e dismounted a short distance away. General 
Lee seated himself at a table made from a hard tack box and ate 

31 



his last l)r(.'akf:ist ( c< uisistiiiL;- of hard lack, fricil ])i)rk and coffee 
wilhoiu milk), with the anii\- of Xorlheni \'irL;inia. He was 
dressed in a neat. iLira\ unifoini uikI was a sj^lcndid looking- sol- 
dier. Commanding,- ofticers of corijs .ind divisions of the Confed- 
erate arm\- and other ofticers tlien came to take lea\L' of him. He 
was a short distance from me and his comersation was evidently 
words of cnconragement and advice, .\lmost every one of the 
officers went awa\' in tears. Ihen we mounted, and (General 
Lee's ])art\- started througli the lines of the remnant of the Army 
of Xorthern X'irginia for his home in Richmond. 

Then commenced an ovation that seemed to me a wfniderful 
manifestation of confidence and affection for this great military 
chieftain. From the time we left his camp till we passed the last of 
his regiments the men -eemed to come from everywhere and the 
' Rebel Yell" was continuous. The little guidon of our squadron 
fluttered in the breeze and seemed silently to voice the sentiment of 

Webster. "Libertv and Cnion now and fore\er. one and inse])- 
arable." 

The war was truly over and (ieneral Lee was departing for 
his home to devote ihe remainder of his life in peaceful pursuits. 
W'e continued with him a short distance in lUickingham County 
wdierc the party halted. General Lee rode up to Lieutenant 
Lo\ell and thanked him for the escort, and sainted as he went his 
wax, wdiile w^e returned to Ap])omattox. At night the army of 
Xorthern \'irginia was gone. The I nion arnn was i)reparing to 
take uj) the line of niarcli for tiieir homes. The \ears of acliieve- 
ment and sacrifice have been commented on 1)\- elo(|uent orators. 
I have endeavored to i)en a simple narrative to mention events as 
the\- ai)peared to me. 

When the army started from Aj^pomattox they were rejoiced 
to contemjjlate changed conditions. At night camp fires were burn- 
ing. The d.angerous duty of pick'ett and scouting and tigluing was 
a thing of the past. I^verybody felt elated and hai)py. 

Tlie news of I'resident Lincoln's assassination came, and 
quiet and ^^adne^s reigned. It -^eemed a great pit\- that this should 
come to ]>ul a nation in nviurning, at a tinu' wlini rfioicing tor the 
Xation rediH-incd, \\a> universal. ( h\v d(.iacliin(.'nt retm-ned to 
Richmond and we remained with our regiment, doing duty in re- 
storing order in and around I'etersburg and Kichmond until late in 
the fall of ]Xi)') when we weri' nnistered out, the last Massachusetts 
X'olunteer Ktgimmt to return home. 

:j2 



Death of the War Horse 



The Death of the Old \V;ir Horse whicli Col Tilden of the 
Sixteenth Maine rode dnrinj^ the war, prompted the 
Rev. Nathaniel Butler to write the following lines. 

The sentiment expressed naturally* appeals to anj'one and 
especially to a soldier who rode a horse duiingthe war 
to maintain the Union. 



Farewell, my horse! tliy work is done, 

Thy sj>leu<li(l form lies low. 
Thy limbs of steel have lost their strength, 

Thy flash ing eye its glow. 

No more thy (jiiivering nostrils snitf 

The battle from afar. 
No more beneath thy flying feet 

The j^lains with thunder jar. 

l-"or thou werl born a hero soul, 

In days when heroes fought, 
When men, borne by thy glorious strength, 

Immortal laurels sought. 

►Seated upon thy nerve-strung form. 

Another life was mine. 
And well 1 knew tlie same high thrill 

Kan through my .^oul and thine. 

A thi'one thou wert to sit u]i(iii, 

And true as steel within, 
Whene'er I feU thy brave heart beat, 

My own has braver been. 

Ami when the bugle's call tn ('haig'e 

< >\\-r the column ran, 
Thy arching crest, "with thun<lcr clothed," 

Loved best to lead the van. 



Upon tlie niarcli, with tiix'loss feet, 
Tliroiit^h inountaiii, gor^e and plain, 

When others strayed thy place was kej>t, 
Through all the long campaign. 

But now, thy last, long halt is made : 

Thy last cam])aign is o'er; 
The bugle call, the battle shout , 

Shall thrill thee never more. 

AVhere art thou gone — old friend and true? 

What place hast thou to fill? 
For it may be thy spirit form 

Somewhere is marching still. 

Here there are those whom we call men, 

Whose souls full well I know 
Another life may not deserve 

One-half so well as thou. 

And natures such as thine has been 

Another life may claim, 
And God may have a place for them 

Within his wide domain. 

His armies tread their glorious march 

Over the eternal plain. 
Their leader rides a snow white steed, 

Who follow in his train? 

We may not ever meet again ; 

But, wheresoe'er I go, 
A cherished place within my heait 

Thou'It have, old friend, I know. 

God made us both, and we have marched 
Firm friends whilst thou wert liere ; 

I only know I shall not blush 
To meet thee anvwhere. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



013 708 897 6 \ 



0013 



^ 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



013 708 897 6 C 



HoUinger 

pH 8.5 

Mill Run F3.1719 



